


Taking too many chances (that's the trick)

by sepherim_ml



Category: CW Network RPF, Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Robin Hood retelling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-01
Updated: 2013-03-01
Packaged: 2017-12-03 23:49:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/704054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sepherim_ml/pseuds/sepherim_ml
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jensen is on his way to meet his promised bride for the first time when he comes across a gang of hooded men. Written for j2_everafter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Taking too many chances (that's the trick)

**A/N** : Take a look at [](http://dulcetine.livejournal.com/profile)[ **dulcetine**](http://dulcetine.livejournal.com/) 's art post [HERE](http://dulcetine.livejournal.com/176244.html) and see what a wonderful job she did!  
This is written for [](http://j2-everafter.livejournal.com/profile)[ **j2_everafter**](http://j2-everafter.livejournal.com/)  for the 'Robin Hood' prompt!  
  
  
  


  
  
  
Jensen is on the tenth, and last, day on the journey from the only home he’s ever known to Nottingham, where he’s to spend the rest of his life. He is sick and tired of watching the unfamiliar surroundings unfolding in front of his eyes from the window of the coach and worrying about the new beginning waiting for him upon his arrival.  
  
The Bible his mother gave to him to read during his journey is a dead weight on Jensen's knees, completely ignored for most of the journey. Jensen cannot receive any comfort from those inspiring words, no matter how many times he tries to open the book and find answers to ease his inner turmoil.  
  
 _Man up, Jensen,_  his brother's voice keeps ringing in his ears, stern and unforgiving, disappointed at Jensen's quiet and meek character. Those words never fail to make Jensen feel inadequate by comparison with his fierce and courageous brother, now far away from his home and country, fighting side-by-side with King Richard Lionheart.  
  
Many years have passed since his brother left for the war and no word came back. Now it's time for Jensen to lift the fortune and the finances of his family by marrying the young Lady Danneel, the only heir of the wealthy Harris family of Nottingham. The news of their engagement came in the late autumn, a settlement reached between Lord Ackles and Lord Harris, and Jensen didn't have any choice in the matter. It was established that Jensen would go to Nottingham, while his little sister would bring the Ackles Manor as her dowry to her future husband, with the title of Lord Ackles when Alan passes away.  
  
It's an unorthodox agreement, but the only one possible considering the precarious status of the Ackles' family.  
  
So here Jensen finds himself travelling to wed a bride he has never seen. Maybe his brother Joshua would be proud of him, accepting his duty without fussing, or maybe he would remind him to hold high the honour of the family with pride, without looking for approval like he usually does.  
  
Jensen closes his eyes, dozing off, but his nap lasts only a couple of minutes as the carriage halts abruptly in the middle of the woods. The driver screams and starts pleading for his life, mocked by a chorus of voices. Jensen is suddenly very awake, but before he can react or try to defend himself, the door of the carriage opens and a looming figure covers the previously empty space with his frame.  
  
"Look what I found!" the stranger with the hood grabs Jensen's arm and drags him out of the couch and pushes him against the carriage. "In need of some help, my fair maid?"  
  
"How dare you?!" Jensen demands, struggling to think of a way out of the situation. The thief is taller than anyone Jensen has ever met and he easily looms over him, making him feel helpless in his arms. "Let me go!"  
  
"Oh, come on, little thing, with pretty lips like yours, I think to some more creative ways you can ask that nicely."  
  
"Let me go, you disgusting –"  
  
"Be nice, darling. It's not polite, and I am holding your fate in my hands."  
  
Another man with a hood on his head moves forward from the bushes, holding Jensen within the range of his bow. "Hood, cut it out, I'm keeping him in line. Just get over it, clean him out and let's blow this joint."  
  
The three of them are not alone in the road, a couple of other men with hoods are surrounding the carriage, holding the driver and Jensen under the threat of their weapons.  
  
"I'm just having some fun, Little John, my friend," he defends himself. He motions his men to lower their bows and Jensen feels positively offended when they obey with a smirk, two of them even start tying the driver, without giving Jensen too much of attention. "Where's your money?"  
  
"I –," Jensen bites his bottom lip. Then, slowly, he takes out a half-empty tiny purse with coins and offers it to the Hooded thief still holding him in place. It contains all that remains from his trip. "Here, it's all I have."  
  
The man takes the money, weighing it in his hand, then chuckles. "Come on, pretty, just this? You sure you're not hiding something else in those fancy clothes of yours?"  
  
Checking the other men's positions, Jensen takes a chance; he slides his hand down and extracts his dagger from his belt, thrusting it in the direction of his opponent's belly. He misses the mark, of course. Before Jensen is aware of what’s happening, the hooded man has intercepted his hand before he can strike, folded his arm behind his back and pushed him against the carriage again.  
  
"Oh, come on, my fair maid, is all you can do?"  
  
Jensen blushes miserably, embarrassed by his weak attempt to defend himself. "You have what you want, just leave us. And stop addressing me as though I’m a woman!"  
  
"No one is telling me what to do, pretty. And I’ll call you whatever I want." The hooded man smirks, revealing a pair of dimples. "Where are you headed without an escort?"  
  
"I owe you no explanation."  
  
"Lord Ackles is going to wed Lady Danneel of Nottingham!" the driver interjects with disdain. "The Sheriff of Nottingham is going to hang all of you before sunrise!"  
  
The attitude of all hooded men changes drastically; even the brute who is still trapping him against the couch straightens his back, tensing his shoulders and pursuing his lips into a straight line. "The Sheriff!" There is no fear in his voice, only open disdain and anger.  
  
"Yes, and you all are – "  
  
The thief called Little John pushes his sword against the driver's throat, stopping any further empty threats. "Shut your mouth!"  
  
"So, pretty, is this true? Are you going to marry Lady Danneel?" Hood moves away and gives him a mocking bow. "The future son-in-law of our honorable Sheriff, no less. Well, that changes everything, now how am I supposed to let you go?"  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
  
Jensen has been blindfolded, tied and dragged to their hideout in the woods, which turns out to be formed by just a couple of cabins and lots of tents. The camp hosts more thieves than the ones that robbed Jensen and, even to his inexpert eyes, they appear to be a lean and organized bunch of criminals, where every one of them, including the women and children, are working together.  
  
"Hey Hood!" A skinny guy welcomes the boss running towards them. The smile he has on his face falls as soon as he notices Jensen. "Who's that? Now we're taking prisoners?"  
  
"This fair maid is the husband-to-be of the lovely Lady Danneel," the man finally takes his hood away, revealing a face that seems too young to belong to an armed robber, hazel eyes with an amused glint in them and full cheeks. "He's our welcomed guest for a while. At least until our Sheriff pays for his release."  
  
"Good go, Hood!" One of the outlaws compliments Hood, laughing. "Nice leverage we have here."  
  
"Until then, fair maid, you're going to stay at my cabin," Hood adds, smirking at Jensen with satisfaction and ignoring his death glare. "So I can keep an eye on you. Even though, you're not much of a challenge anyway."  
  
"I have no intention to be treated this way! I –"  
  
"You're tiring me, beautiful. Little John, please bring our ladyship to my cabin and lock him in there. We need to discuss of how we will be letting our good Sheriff know about the change of marriage plans."  
  
Little John – who is, in fact, taller than Jensen and definitely bulkier – grabs his shoulder and drags him to the nearest cabin. "Don't even try to run away. You're not going to make it out of the camp. Stay put and don't annoy Hood."  
  
"It's not me who's annoying," replies Jensen bitterly.  
  
To his surprise, Little John chuckles, amused, while unbinding his hands. "Fair point. But you're making it so simple."  
  
"I didn't ask to be robbed, harassed and kidnapped."  
  
Little John chuckles again but leaves without comment. Once Jensen is alone, he inspects the cabin; one bed, a huge table covered with maps and arrows and all sorts of knives, but there isn't much else.  
  
If his driver didn't make the mistake to yell Jensen's identity to the band of thieves, Jensen would just have to have faced a robbery, not a kidnapping. The thieves let the driver go, still tied, to find his way to Nottingham by foot, and really, despite the embarrassment of such display, maybe it would be best if Jensen could have partaken in the same treatment.  
  
The door opens and Hood comes in, smiling widely. "Do you like your temporary accommodations? It's the best Hood and his Merry Men can offer. And you'll get to share the bed with that said Hood, consider it a plus, my fair maid."  
  
"Stop calling me that!"  
  
"Then give me your name, pretty, and I'll call you by another name."  
  
"My name is Lord Jensen Ackles."  
  
Hood looks even more entertained. "Jenny it is, then."  
  
"Show some respect!"  
  
"You're not expecting me to use your title, are you?"  
  
"I hold no such expectations for an outlaw," replies Jensen gritting his teeth. "Call me Jensen."  
  
"You have to earn that privilege, Jenny," adds Hood, moving closer and stopping only a couple of inches from Jensen's chest. "How about you do that with a kiss?"  
  
Jensen takes a step back, stunned by such an absurd proposal. "That's – that's preposterous! How can you ask that?"  
  
Hood puts his hands on his hips. "I was kidding, Jenny. Don't get yourself so worked up. And, for the record, when I'll really ask for a kiss, you're going to give it to me without spurting such an incredulous face."  
  
Jensen crosses his arms to his chest. "Keep dreaming, outlaw."  
  
Hood chuckles. "Come on, Jenny, let's eat. Friar Misha is going to kill me if I let one of God's sheep starve to death on his watch."  
  
"I have troubles believing you're listening to a friar."  
  
"That's because you don't know Friar Misha."  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Friar Misha is exactly what Jensen wouldn't expect from a friar; he keeps drinking mead and telling dirty stories like a common thief, laughing and playing tricks with them like the thieves aren't doing something against the law and God's will. Jensen fears that the company of those outlaws has compromised his integrity. No wonder, considering Hood's manners.  
  
The dinner consists in roasted deer and wild boar, and really, after all Jensen has witnessed, he shouldn't be surprised those thieves are also poaching in the King's lands.  
  
"Little John and the others have already left the camp, Hood," says a skinny blond man. "I must say I envy them," he laughs. "They get to see the Sheriff's reaction at the news."  
  
"He’s bound to raise our bounty for this," adds another, and he sounds excited instead of afraid.  
  
Jensen spends the whole dinner eating in silence, munching his moist deer and feeling his stomach twisting despite the fine meal. The words of his brother are still ringing in his ears, louder than ever, in all their unpleasant truth. He wonders what is going come of him, what his parents will think of him at home, what Lord Harris will think of his soon to be son-in-law, kidnapped as soon as he stepped into the Sherwood Forest.  
  
"No escort," wonders the skinny guy, drawing Jensen's attention. "You sure the Sheriff wants you to marry his daughter? It's like he  _asked_  for trouble."  
  
"I don't like your insinuation, sir," replies Jensen with clipped voice. The Sheriff never mentioned outlaws in his letters to Jensen's father, but there is no way he would put Jensen in danger deliberately, not when his honour is at stake as a law officer.  
  
The skinny guy puts his beer down. "You know nothing about the Sheriff."  
  
"Peace, Chad," Hood interjects. "It’s clear he doesn't know. Maybe during his stay here he will learn a thing or two. Now, go patrolling."  
  
Chad stands up and obeys without a word. The men return to their conversations, ignoring Jensen and leaving him with the only companionship of Friar Misha.  
  
"How can you condone this?" asks Jensen to him, annoyed.  
  
Friar Misha lowers his jug and takes a close look on Jensen. "There are always two sides of things, my lord. You should know both before judge."  
  
"They're thieves! They kidnapped me! This is not something a man of God can condone or -- " he takes a deep breath, before he spits it out. "Take part of."  
  
Friar Misha laughs, in no way offended by Jensen's insinuation. This only confirms Jensen's suspicion that Misha is an active member of the gang, after all.  
  
"The Sheriff and Hood have a long story," mutters the friar. "The Sheriff is strangling the good people of Nottingham with taxes and his arrogance, and Hood appointed himself as defender of the poor people. He takes from the rich to give to the poor." Misha notices Jensen's pensive expression. "Ask anyone in this camp and don't judge Hood too harshly."  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
The stories are, indeed, true. Misha isn't lying. Jensen is surprised to notice not only that the entire camp is completely devoted to the cause, but also to Hood, who's considered some sort of masked hero.  
  
For Jensen's part, he finds Hood a puzzle. The first night they shared the small bed in the cabin, after a couple of awkward maneuvers, Hood ordered Jensen to sleep half on top of him, with his arm tightly wrapped around his waist. Despite Jensen's protests, Hood has his way, practically forcing him into that position. The nights after that did't change the state of things and despite that embarrassing and scandalous position, at the end of the day Jensen is too tired to protest like he does vehemently during the day.  
  
From what Jensen had overheard, the Sheriff is furious. He did, indeed, send an escort to Jensen when he set his foot into his territories, but Hood kidnapped him before they had the chance to meet. He also refuses to pay the ransom, and has ordered his guards to inspect every inch of the Sherwood Forest, in the hope of finding Hood's hideout to bring him and his Merry Men down. This is a tough challenge, given that the people of Nottingham support Hood and his cause.  
  
Despite the situation, Jensen starts to get used to the rhythm of the camp. Spending the night with Hood, close to his warm body, sharing a few words here and there with the famous outlaw without fighting – he starts to get used to Hood's bantering, he must admit – are beginning to become his routine. Moreover, Jensen has started mingling with the men, Little John – or Jeff, that's his real name – is also teaching him how to play cards, and when Friar Misha asked him to help him with the kids, Jensen accepted and started teaching them the basics of writing and reading.  
  
His imminent wedding is far from his mind. It's almost a relief, waking up with the idea of his duties in the camp, without troubling too much over his father's opinions or his future. Jensen wonders what kind of son – or man – this makes him.  
  
"I'm afraid your staying is going to be prolonged, Jenny," says Hood one night in the cabin while Jensen is preparing for the night. He's laying sprawled out on the bed, watching Jensen's movements intently. "The Sheriff is a tough nut to crack. But maybe you like it here."  
  
"I don't like to be held a captive, I'm not a masochist."  
  
"You're not exactly complaining either," considers Hood. "You help Friar Misha in educating the younglings."  
  
"I have to do something," shrugs Jensen.  
  
"Don't you think of your promised bride? She's waiting for you."  
  
"Considering how much her father is working to free me, I don't think that's a big problem."  
  
Hood laughs and scoots aside, leaving Jensen his space. In the darkness, Jensen lays uncomfortably in the bed, until Hood pulls him against his body. The gesture seems so familiar that Jensen doesn't even consider protesting.  
  
"Pride is everything for him." Hood's face turns towards Jensen and the young man can feel his warm breath against his cheek. "It's his biggest weakness."  
  
"I know someone who's sinning with pride," comments Jensen.  
  
Hood glares at him. "We're not the same."  
  
"I didn't say that."  
  
"Good. Because if you're comparing me to that disgusting piece of scum, we may have a problem."  
  
"Hood, the Sheriff is strangling the people of Nottingham, but you're not setting things straight by stealing and poaching. Those are crimes against the crown. I'm not saying you're like him, but face it, you mock the crown and the Sheriff. You even write jokes about them on the poster of your bounty! You're nothing like him, but you're not a saint either. And you're hardly a modest person. Pride is your sin too."  
  
Hood grits his teeth and acts like he's going to strike Jensen during his whole speech, but then he agrees. "Humility is not my thing, but, believe me, if there were other ways for me to make the situation better, I'd do it."  
  
"Have you even tried to discuss with him?"  
  
Hood laughs bitterly. "No-one gets to ' _discuss'_  with the Sheriff. Ever. Oh, well, some tried, and they were hanged in the public square."  
  
"So there's no other way. You'll keep stealing, he'll try to catch up and if he does, you'll be the one hanged in the public square."  
  
Hood cracks a smile, like the idea of being executed is some kind of funny joke. "Do I sense some sympathy in your words?"  
  
Jensen goes stiff. "Even though you're a brute, I do not wish to see you dead."  
  
"We're living a life of risk, Jensen. There's always the chance that someday the Sheriff will catch me or my men. But we're fighting the good fight and it's worth it."  
  
Jensen doesn't say anything for a long time. He wonders what has made him change his mind about the gang of criminals; he should be disgusted by them, instead he found his own place among them, dismissing the path set out by Lord Jensen Ackles as the son responsible for lifting up the family fortunes. Here, he can be just Jensen, doing something he likes, teaching the children, and not feeling guilty about following his heart. On the other hand, Jensen often forgets he's a prisoner here; after he started to teach, the outlaws stopped watching him like hawks, but that doesn't mean Jensen's fate is no longer in their hands.  
  
"When did you become Hood?" asks Jensen.  
  
Hood remains silent for so long that Jensen starts dozing off, no longer expecting an answer.  
  
"I was sixteen when the Sheriff evicted my mother and I from our home." Hood's voice startles Jensen, but he's soon completely awake. "She was already sick when we started living on the streets and her conditions got worse day by day until she wasn't able to stand up. I stole food and medicines for her, but nothing helped. When she died, I joined the poachers in the woods and I swore to myself that I would do anything to not let other people suffer for the Sheriff's wrath and arrogance. Other men joined my cause and we moved from poaching to stealing gold and giving it to the poor."  
  
Jensen wonders what does it mean to be sixteen, alone in the world, and watch people like the Sheriff keep throwing parties and having their tables full every day, when other people, just outside their castle, are starving to death. He wouldn't know; despite the financial problems, Jensen has always had servitude and food on his table.  
  
"Maybe I misjudged you at the beginning," admits Jensen. "I knew nothing about the Sheriff's actions. Not before coming here."  
  
"I don't blame you, you're the typical little prince, ignorant of the real world." Hood's words are mocking, but his tone is light, almost playful, and Jensen smiles against the pillow.  
  
"Yes, I guess I am."  
  
Hood laughs and Jensen keeps smiling.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
Jensen is teaching the children to read when Hood comes from one of their incursions with a deep frown and a bad temper. As soon as he sees them coming, Jensen's first instinct is to go there and find out what is happening, but the gang keeps to themselves, calling up an emergency meeting and leaving Jensen with the women and the children.  
  
The air is tense even after that, the men sneak glances towards Jensen a lot, and there seems to be an underlying hostility, but nobody says a word.  
  
Jensen has to wait until night, when he can have some privacy with Hood, to find out what is going on. He sits on the bed, reading his Bible waiting for Hood to come back. The wait is so long that he starts to doze off, curled on the bed, until he is woken by the door of the cabin closing abruptly behind Hood.  
  
"Where were you?" asks Jensen, too impatient to approach the issue less directly.  
  
Hood snorts. "I have a camp to run, Jenny, I don't spend my days doing nothing like you."  
  
"I'm your prisoner," snaps Jensen, closing the Bible on his lap. "What I am supposed to do?"  
  
Hood ignores him. He putters with his clothes, but doesn't acknowledge Jensen at all; his forehead is still creased in frustration, his mind seems to be somewhere else, and Jensen is dying to know what is happening.  
  
Jensen is about to ask Hood again, when the thief saves him the trouble.  
  
"The Sheriff is doubling his efforts to search the forest," he says and his voice is rough and clipped. "He's spending the people’s taxes to hire mercenaries. He swears he can bring us down and that the kidnapping of his soon-to-be relative was the last straw. He vows he will hang us all."  
  
Jensen looks at Hood's stiff shoulders and clenched fists. A hope sparks in his chest, at the mention of a new way to get out of the camp. On the other hand, he can understand Hood's bad temper; the Forest will be sought out by even more men, and Hood and his Merry Men have to be extra careful if they plan to continue their raids.  
  
"It would be better let me go," comments Jensen calmly. "Hand me over, Hood."  
  
Hood spins around with his face twisted in anger. "No. I won't."  
  
"If they catch you --"  
  
"They won't." Hood states firmly. "We know this forest better. They won't find us."  
  
"If you hand me over, they will lower their defenses --"  
  
"Jensen, I won't hand you over." Hood repeats, this time using his complete name, no joking, just to highlight how serious he is.  
  
Blinking a few times, Jensen tries to grasp the implication of Hood's declaration. "Not yet, you mean." corrects him. "Not until he pays the ransom."  
  
Hood sits on the bed and takes off his shoes. "I told you. Pride is his weakness. He's not going to split the difference. He wants to win and wipe us all out. I'm more worried about my men. If he catches one of them, it would good leverage to obtain you."  
  
"Be more careful," slips through Jensen's lips. Hood gives him a curious glance.  
  
"I'm doubling the guards, my ladyship. You can sleep soundly tonight."  
  
He guesses Hood has found his sarcasm again.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
The next day Hood comes carrying two bows and quivers in his hands. He offers one set to Jensen. "Come, follow me."  
  
He brings him a clearing used by the men as a training square. "Now that the Sheriff is doubling his patrols in the forest, we need to spread more for hunting and increase the number of teams to assault the carriages on the way to and from Nottingham. How about you start to contribute to our dinner?"  
  
"You want me to wander around with a bow and arrows?"  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I was thinking that you're a threat of any kind," Hood comments with a smirk. "With your poor skills, you're never going to learn how to shoot."  
  
"Your confidence in my skills astounds me," replies Jensen sternly.  
  
"Considering your lack of skills in the use of the knife, I'm sure I’m not wrong."  
  
"So why teach me?"  
  
Hood shrugs. "A man should be able to defend himself, no matter what. And you're bad at it. Come on, I'll teach you."  
  
Jensen is a disaster with his bow and after the tenth attempt, Hood stops laughing and starts helping constructively. He positions himself behind Jensen, adjusting his position with light touches and whispered words.  
  
Later, Jensen won’t remember exactly how it came about. What he does know is that one moment he was struggling with his bow, trying very hard to focus on the mark instead of focusing on Hood's big hands and broad chest and the way his breath felt ghosting across Jensen’s cheek, and the next he was kissing him fiercely, without thinking how wrong it would be.  
  
When they part, Jensen has his hands around Hood's neck and Hood's hands are framing his face, his thumbs slowly massaging the soft skin of his cheeks. They are both smiling and if Jensen has the same expression that it's on Hood's face, then... he doesn't want to think about it. It shows too much of what he's feeling right now and how he’s felt in days past.  
  
"I told you. When I ask for a kiss, you're going to give it to me without complaining," says Hood, grinning.  
  
"You didn't  _ask_ ," he points out.  
  
"Nevertheless, you didn't complain."  
  
And he kisses him again.  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
  
"Jared."  
  
"Uh?" Jensen has troubles remaining awake after an orgasm. His and Hood's bodies are sticky and sweaty, but Jensen is happy to forget about it for the night and do something in the morning, when he will be restored after a good night sleep.  
  
The light of the candle is dying, swallowed up by its wax, and Jensen takes advantage of that last minutes of light to watch the profile of Hood's face and his lazy smile.  
  
"My real name is Jared," clarifies Hood. "Call me Jared."  
  
"Jared."  
  
Jared's smile widens and his cute dimples deepen.  
  
He kisses his forehead, tightening his embrace and Jensen closes his eyes, feeling protected and loved for the first time in his life. His duties and responsibilities to his family are far, far away. Everything he never hoped he gets from his life is holding him in and Jensen is perfectly content with that.  
  
"Stay with me, Jensen."  
  
Jensen smiles and kisses him again. "I think I will, Jared."  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
The morning after, Little John wake them up by barging into the cabin and announcing that the good Sheriff has a proposal. Still naked, Jensen tries uselessly to cover himself, while blushing furiously. Hood -- Jared doesn't seem to have the same problem, he sits up and looks Little John right in the eyes.  
  
"He gives up?"  
  
"He has Chad and Steve," answers Little John. "His men took them last night. He's going to hang them today at midday, if you don't return Jensen to him."  
  
"Damn," Hood swears. He looks at Jensen for a long moment before standing up, paying no mind to Little John's presence. "Go and gather the men."  
  
Jeff nods and goes away, leaving Jared and Jensen alone. They don't make a move to dress, Jared stays still, deep in thought, while Jensen's heart has dropped and is waiting for a reaction from Jared. The words from the last night echoing in his head, along with all the unspoken promises that those words implied.  
  
Now, Jensen is not too sure about that. The Sheriff's move has shuffled the cards and Jensen is at loss.  
  
"Dress," orders Jared. "I need to talk to the men."  
  
"Jared."  
  
"What? Midday is not so far away."  
  
"What are you going to do with me?"  
  
Finally, Jared looks at him. There's a naked expression in his eyes, for the first time Jensen can see there the sixteen-year-old boy who lost his mother.  
  
"We're going to free Chad and Steve."  
  
Jensen lowers his head and starts dressing. "You're handing me over."  
  
"Jensen."  
  
"I understand. It is time."  
  
Jared takes his wrist, stopping him from move and drawing his full attention. "Jensen."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I meant every word I said last night. I asked you to stay, you said yes. Now I'm asking you again, will you stay?"  
  
Jensen shakes his head. "That's not on the table now. They have Chad and Steve. You're going to free them by exchanging them for me. That's the leverage we talked about. He's got it now, you're not letting him hang your men."  
  
"I'm not letting you go either --"  
  
"I'm going."  
  
Jared’s features become angry at that, but he lets Jensen free. "You're not even  _trying_  to find a solution."  
  
"I'm trying not to be in the middle of this anymore. This is my chance to be free."  
  
Jared's frown deepens, but he doesn't deny it. "Very well, you made the decision."  
  
Jared steps outside, leaving Jensen all by himself. Jensen looks at the Bible, forgotten on the table, surrounded by the bow and the quiver he used with Jared the day before.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Jeff blindfolded him and tied his hands together. Jensen is thankful to be in the dark and not able to see the camp disappearing. He didn't bid farewell to the children, even though they asked what was happening constantly, nor to Friar Misha. Hood supervised everything without saying a word or sparing him a glance.  
  
It was the answer Jensen feared.  
  
They are headed for an area just outside Nottingham where the Sheriff and Hood can make the exchange. When they finally stop, Jeff promptly takes off the blindfold over Jensen's eyes.  
  
The Sheriff of Nottingham is on a black stallion, his body covered in pelts and a rich jewel around his neck. He's surrounded by twenty guards, two of which are holding Chad and Steve under the threat of their bows. On the other side, Hood and twenty of his men are standing in the way, with Jensen riding a horse.  
  
Little John makes Jensen stand on his two feet and hands him to Hood, who pushes him forward until he meets the Sheriff in the middle, while the other pulls the chain that bind Chad and Steve together.  
  
Before Jensen can really register that anything is happening, arrows hit a of the Sheriff’s guards, while Hood is fast to pull Jensen back, putting a knife to his throat. Other Merry Men reveal themselves in the branches of the trees with their bows, ready to loose more arrows.  
  
"If you want him live," comments Hood, tightening his grip on a scared Jensen. "Release my men."  
  
The Sheriff looks furious when he gives the order to let Chad and Steve go. The two of them reach Little John, half limping, half running, their faces almost purple from the beatings they’d received.  
  
"Now, why don't you go hiding in your castle and leave the way for Nottingham clear?"  
  
"Release Lord Jensen, Hood. You have your filthy thieves, let Lord Jensen come with me."  
  
"How about paying that ransom I asked of you?"  
  
The Sheriff glares at Jensen, but doesn't say anything.  
  
"But," comments Hood. "You have no intention to pay the ransom, do you? Dealing with thieves is off the table, but, at the same time, it's the only way to reestablish your credibility with your friends. A lord in Hood's hands? So shameful. You seem to have reached a crossroad. What will your next move be?"  
  
The Sheriff unsheathes his sword. "You know my answer."  
  
"Are you going to risk the life of your precious Lord?"  
  
"I am willing to risk everything to have your head, Hood!"  
  
Jared pushes Jensen on the ground, ready to defend himself against the Sheriff. They fence, while their men fight, and Jensen stumbles to release himself from the bonds, while watching the others, confused. In the end, Hood hits the Sheriff to his side and the guards are immediately guarding him behind their swords, Hood takes advantage of this break in the fight and jumps on the horse, taking Jensen with him.  
  
"Follow them! Follow them! Bring me their heads!"  
  
The yells of the Sheriff follow them, Hood orders the Merry Men to split up, and goes deeper and deeper into the forest, stopping abruptly where the bushes are high and thick. He brings Jensen and the horse into one of the refuges he set up in the past, covered with branches and dead leaves.  
  
When the danger passes, Jared takes Jensen in his arms, and begins to check him for wounds.  
  
"Why did you do it?" asks Jensen, still confused. “The exchange would have been smooth, if you had just abided by the rules, and instead you put everyone in danger.”  
  
"I told you. I wasn't willing to let you go."  
  
Jensen blinks a few times, speechless.  
  
"You made the wrong decision," adds Jared. "I took my chance and I took your word from last night."  
  
Jensen smiles. "You only listen to the things you want to hear."  
  
Jared laughs, stroking Jensen's cheek. "Someone may say I'm overly presumptuous."  
  
"This someone is completely right," but Jensen kisses him deeply, quieting Jared's next protest. “And yes, I’ll stay, if you want to have me here."  
  
"Has ever been a doubt? "


End file.
